The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-22
JACK HOWARD'S SHORTAGE.
The Thefts Discovered by the House
Committee Amount to $150,00O.
More About the Evidence Regarding the In
famous Encouragement of the Prison
The Legislative Committees Report.

The House prison committee. last night, was
engaged in formulating the evidence to be pre-
scented in its report on dishonesty, corruption
and brutality at the Jeffersonville penitentiary
John W. Coons, the expert engaged on the
warden's books submitted his Conclusions which
will, it is understood, show Towards defalca
ton to be $4,000. 1t extends through every
part Of the business. the various funds showing
their several shortages according to the amount
of stealings they could bear. There is evidence,
too, that the prison brck-yard has been used
more extensively than has yet appeared in the
published matter concerning this investigation
George Howard, brother of the exwarden,
built it is said, his large pork house through the
help the State brick-k ilns gave him, and from
out the shops there has been unlimited distribu-
ton OF goods that would bring Jack Howard
the distinguished influence and favor of men
who could aid him.
Pardon brokerage will occupy considerable
part of the committees report One instance
particularly is said to have caused something OF
a sensation when it was given to the committee
Arthur Brooks. a convict, fell under the per-
suasion of the chaplain, who promised to secure
him pardon on condition that Brooks would
tional when Chaplain Cain had fulfilled his serv-
ice. But this was not all the broker insisted
| on having He represented that Charles
L. Jewett, upon whose influence
|. he relied to accomplish the work
with the Governor would need retainer of 800
| and further sum of $400 after the pardon was
| procured Gains first $50 and the Jewett re-
| tainer were paid by the convict. and his friends
| have been ready to pay the rest when the par
| don was granted. Another incident of the evil
dence is where prisoners have been carried on
the hospital rolls for months at time, while
they were working for contractors, who paid
Howard sixtysix cents per day for their services,
of which no accounts have been kept.
| The evidence of barbarous treatment is COM
plete. It will be shown that the slightest in
| fraction of the rules would cause punishment in
which the suffering of the prisoner was of no ac-
| count. For fourteen years an insane convict,
VIM. Helms, sent to the penitentiary from
Madison twenty-seven years ago. has been sub
| lect to the horrors of solitary confinement. For
| years his home has been a wooden cage of un-
| paned boards built in an old part of the prison,
| whore the continued dampness unites it'll the
filth of the cells in giving most sickening odor.
| The only warmth supplies to this place is
| through worn out cannon stove. Helms is there
| for numbering his wife, but he is treated worse
| than the hogs in Jack Towards pens. A con-
vicJ was found in the interior of the prison who
| said he had not daily paper, except the
| wardens. for three months. He eagerly begged
| to be permitted to look at a paper which pro-
truded from the pocket of one of the party. 1t
| was given him. and, almost instantly, guard
dashed UP to the prisoner and snatched the
| paper away, with oath. When the COM
| mittee turned to see what had been done they
| found the prisoner his knees before the
guard, cap in hand, begging if for his life.
| Representative Hobson inferfered and gave the
| guard to understand that brutal inhumarities at
that prison were at end; that the paper should
go to the convict, and that it should not be taken
| from him under penalty.
/ A member Of the investigating committee, in
speaking of the condition of the prison yester-
day said: ''The black hole of Calcutta has lost its
bad eminence in comparison with this Indiana
hell-nole The southern prison is reeking with
filth and damnation. The condition of the con
vlcts is ply indescribably pitlabe. Men told
| me that they could not sleep because Of the lice
and bedbugs thatswarm the foul cells. The bed
| clothes reeking with rot. Convcts have
cowed and slavsh demeanor, as if they expected
| blow from every man that comes along"
The committee is not through with this class
| of it's investigation A subcommittee will re
turn to Jacksonville this week !but in the mean
time, tomorrow perhaps, the first report will bs
| made.